1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to pet accessories and, more particularly, to a restraint for use while grooming dogs that is rigid in design, maintaining the animal in a fixed position during grooming operations.
2. Description of the Related Art
With the growing number of households owning pets, it is becoming increasingly popular to send one's dog to a pet grooming service in order to have its hair cut, shampooed and styled, nails trimmed, etc. These pet grooming establishments are staffed by professional personnel that utilize specialized equipment to carry out the many different procedures involved. Among the special equipment used, various anchoring devices, such as straps, support frames and collars, are used to secure the animal to the tables and platforms upon which the procedures are carried out, thereby limiting their movement. These restraining mechanisms are necessary for the safety of both the dog and the grooming personnel, preventing injury from the sharp devices sometimes used in hair cutting and nail trimming. Furthermore, the immobility of the dog is essential in providing a uniform, quality haircut. The device must be capable of immobilizing the dog's head, chest, and haunch areas separately and permit access to the animal's entire body so that it can be groomed properly.
In the ancillary art, several devices have been developed that somewhat immobilize the dog during grooming and veterinary procedures. U.S. Pat. No. 4,041,905, issued in the name of Prager et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,186,690, issued in the name of Seiler, U.S. Pat. No. 5,178,098, issued in the name of Samberg, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,279,257, issued in the name of Tremby, disclose dog grooming restraining devices wherein the animal is restrained to the work surface by a flexible neck collar secured to a rigid grooming table member. The devices are adjustable so as to accept animals of varying size and height. These devices are somewhat effective in immobilizing the animal's head and neck, however they do permit some movement due to the non-rigid characteristics of the strap itself. Furthermore, they fail to restrain the remainder of the animal's body and, as a result, the dog is permitted to move the majority of its body while secured in these devices.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,570,577, issued in the name of Bellinger, discloses an animal restraining device wherein a rigid support frame is attached to the grooming table. The dog is restrained by a strap, hanging from the frame above the animal, that is secured around the dog's abdomen. The strap is adjustable in length so as to accommodate animals of varying size and height. This device is somewhat effective in immobilizing the animal's mid-section, however it does permit some movement due to the non-rigid characteristics of the strap itself. Furthermore, it does permit significantly unrestricted movement of the head, front and rear portion of the animal.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,243,931, issued in the name of McDonough, discloses an animal restraining device wherein the dog is restrained by a pair of straps secured to the surface beneath the animal. The straps secure the animal around the abdomen and around its chest. The straps are adjustable in length so as to accommodate animals of varying size and height. This device is somewhat effective in immobilizing the animal's mid-section, however it does permit some movement due to the non-rigid characteristics of the strap itself. Furthermore, it does permit significantly unrestricted movement of the head. Finally, due to the fact that the straps are secured underneath the dog, it also permits the animal to sit or lie down while secured by the device.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,580,222, issued in the name of Dunn, discloses an animal restraining device wherein a rigid support frame is attached to the ceiling directly above the grooming table. Suspended from the frame are three straps that are used to restrict the movement of the animal. The straps can be used in a variety of configurations, attaching to the dog's neck, legs, haunch and chest. The straps are adjustable in length so as to accommodate animals of varying size and height. This device is somewhat effective in immobilizing the animal, however it does permit some movement due to the non-rigid characteristics of the straps themselves and, depending upon the configuration, may permit totally unrestricted movement in one or more areas.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,092,079, issued in the name of Strebel et al., discloses an animal restraining device wherein a rigid support frame is attached to the grooming table. The frame includes an elongated U-shaped support mounted to an adjustable height pole into which the dog's mid-section is placed and strapped. This device appears to be effective in immobilizing the animal's mid-section, however it does permit significantly unrestricted movement of the head, front and rear portion of the animal. Furthermore, the U-shaped support prohibits any grooming procedures in a substantially large portion of the animal's mid-section.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,120,836, issued in the name of Brauning, discloses an animal restraining device wherein a rigid support frame is attached to the grooming table. The frame includes an elongated U-shaped support mounted to an adjustable height pole into which the dog's mid-section is placed and strapped. Also, a separate, adjustable frame supports a collar for securing the animal's neck. This device appears to be effective in immobilizing the animal's mid-section and substantially immobilizing its head and neck, however it does permit significantly unrestricted movement of the front and the rear portion of the animal. Furthermore, the U-shaped support prohibits any grooming procedures in a substantially large portion of the animal's mid-section.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,250,252, issued in the name of Leopold, discloses a veterinary animal restraining device wherein a rigid support frame is attached to the grooming table. The frame includes three elongated U-shaped supports mounted to adjustable height poles, each of which extend vertically from a frame that attaches to the surface of a table. The dog's head, chest and haunch each fit into one of the U-shaped supports and are secured therein via a strapping mechanism. This device appears to be effective in immobilizing the dog's body, however it does not allow for selective immobilization of the animal. Furthermore, the U-shaped supports and the surface-mounted frame can prohibit grooming procedures in a substantially large portion of the animal's mid-section and chest area.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,804,845, issued in the name of Plumley et al., discloses a veterinary animal restraining device wherein a rigid support frame is attached to the grooming table. The frame includes two U-shaped supports and a muzzle mounted to adjustable height poles that extend from a frame that attaches to the surface of a table. The dog's snout fits into the muzzle and the neck and haunch each fit into one of the U-shaped supports and are secured therein via a strapping mechanism. This device appears to be effective in immobilizing the dog's body, however it does not allow for selective immobilization of the animal. Furthermore, the U-shaped supports and the surface-mounted frame can prohibit grooming procedures in a substantially large portion of the animal's frontal mid-section and chest area.
A search of the previous art did not disclose any patents that read directly on the claims of the instant invention. Consequently, a need has been felt for providing a rigid dog grooming restraint that is adjustable, provides selective immobilization of the various body parts of the dog, and is designed so as to allow full access to the dog for grooming purposes.